I finally have 3 clean dogs. Usually I take India and Chocolate to the groomer because she clips them in addition to bathing them, plus she is a cavalier show breeder so she makes them look really nice. Unfortunately she hasn't been able to groom them recently, so I decided to try to do them myself.

Chocolate's coat grows really long and gets out of control, so last weekend I spent a lot of time researching clippers, and I decided to buy a professional one because of the poor ratings the home clippers get. I narrowed my choice down to the Oster A5 or the Wahl Switchblade, and we drove out to a Tack shop to look at them. I bought the Wahl, then we bought the universal clip on combs at PetSmart. I bought special spray to cool and lubricate the blades too.

Last weekend I clipped Chocolate, and she came out looking very nice! I clipped her back, shoulders, neck, chest, middle strip down tummy, and her stifles. I just blended her sides to her back (hard to explain) and took a bit off the top of her head like the groomer does. I also bought a professional trimmer and did her face a teensy bit, because I had noticed her groomer did that. First I trimmed her 1/2 inch, then saw it wasn't enough, so I used the 1/4 inch comb and that was much better.

I bathed her and put plenty of conditioner on her - her coat is a bit wooly - rinsed her well and gave her a good blow dry with my little metro doghouse dryer. Then I hand trimmed her body and leg fringes and her feet with my rounded tip dog scissors.

Mind you, this took hours with lots of breaks! Then I washed Geordie and dried him - he's so easy because he needs no trimming. I was too pooped to do India last weekend.

This morning I clipped India the same as I did Chocolate, then bathed her and blew her dry. Luckily she doesn't require any additional timming, except I'm going to use thinning shears on her front leg fringes; otherwise she looks like a little cowboy in chaps!

I was looking for a stripping comb last weekend and couldn't find one anywhere, so I bought a Furminator, which has a blade so much like a stripping comb. I used it on the undersides of Chocolate's and India's ears to pull out dead hair. And I'm using it carefully to pull out the dead hair that matts underneath/behind their ears.

As soon as I clean myself up (I'm a bit wet and covered in dog hair) I'm going to try to snap a few photos of my clean doglets! If I can get them to wake up! ;)

Cathryn

19th August 2007, 06:51 PM

WOW!!! Can you come over here and do my lot as well?? I'll let you cuddle the puppies for as long as you like!!! ;) ;)

Seriously though, Well Done, it is hard work working on a full coated dog when you have not done it before I know how long it can take believe me!!
Looking forwards to seeing some :snap: of your beautifully groomed doglets :lotsaluv:

*Pauline*

19th August 2007, 07:25 PM

I'd like to see pictures too. Well done! Weren't you just a bit nervous before you turned on those clippers?! ;)

Cathy Moon

19th August 2007, 07:35 PM

:) No, I wasn't nervous! But only because I've used clippers before - my first dog of my very own was a poodle mix, Heidi, who had to have her hair cut every 6 weeks. I had a groomer-in-training teach me how to clip her.

You have to be very, very careful knowing how to hold the clippers on certain areas of a dog, especially that fold of skin at the side of their body by their hind leg. And you have to have the dog completely combed/brushed out. But with a cavalier I didn't have to clip near any 'danger' areas.

Cathy Moon

19th August 2007, 07:47 PM

WOW!!! Can you come over here and do my lot as well?? I'll let you cuddle the puppies for as long as you like!!! ;) ;)
It's a deal! Your puppies are soooo lovely!:luv:

Karlin

19th August 2007, 08:03 PM

I am totally impressed! I am scared enough just using the Furminator! :lol: I'd love to hav you do Lily. I just trimmed her skirt as she drags it in urine when it gets long :( . Also I like to take out some of the length on her rump as she has a nice white spot there that disappears under the longer black hair. I need some trimming lessons! :)

sallymum

19th August 2007, 08:24 PM

Well done. I wish i could trim mine, its hard enough to brush them.:D

BarbMazz

19th August 2007, 10:29 PM

Cathy, I'm tired just reading your post!! Good for you... it's fun to go at it yourself sometimes.

I did Ozzy and Maggie yesterday.. I just can't handle four in one day, I'd be exhausted!

I'm glad for the clipper recommendation, too. I have an inexpensive home pair that I'm just not happy with. Maybe I'll check into the two you looked at.

Cathy Moon

20th August 2007, 02:14 AM

I'm glad for the clipper recommendation, too. I have an inexpensive home pair that I'm just not happy with. Maybe I'll check into the two you looked at.

If you want to see clippers and compare them, we found that Clippety Clop Tack shop in Brecksville has good clippers, and the manager used to groom dogs so he's very helpful and informative.:thmbsup:

Cathy Moon

20th August 2007, 02:18 AM

I'd love to hav you do Lily. I just trimmed her skirt as she drags it in urine when it gets long :( . Also I like to take out some of the length on her rump as she has a nice white spot there that disappears under the longer black hair. I need some trimming lessons! :)
Send her to me! ;)
I'll try to get Colin to snap a few photos next time I clip them, and see if I can put together a description/instructions.

lb0024

20th August 2007, 04:45 PM

Oh my goodness, I was POOPED just reading about it! I think I'd need a nap after all that! :slp: :D

So do all Cavaliers (who aren't show dogs) have to be clipped!? I noticed you said Geordie didn't need to be trimmed...

Molly doesn't like her bath, so it's hard enough just doing that. I'll definitely be taking her to a groomer if I have to get her clipped too. I took her to a groomer this weekend for the first time since my kitchen sink isn't draining well. I didn't have her do any trimming of course (she's only 8.5 months, not that much fur yet :) ), but I asked her to get out the mats behind her ears (they weren't that bad). When I got Molly home, I noticed that on one side it was still there. Maybe a little better, but definitely not gone. I finished the job myself last night, but I don't think I'll go back there again. They were very nice, but I don't think I was asking much.

-laura

Cleo's Person

20th August 2007, 05:15 PM

Wow! That sounds like a phenomonal amount of work. Looking forward to seeing the photos of your beautifully groomed doglets! :D

Cathryn

20th August 2007, 05:19 PM

Hi!

No, not all Cavalliers need to be clipped, it is really a matter of personnal taste and how hot and humid a climate you llive in, it can aslo depend on the colour of your dog as the Black coat of the Tri's and B/T's can be much thicker and denser, tangle more easily and make your dog feel a lot hotter too.

I have stood in a show ring on a hot (British) Summer Day and watched B/T's and heavily marked Tri's actually steaming in the heat!! :yikes: So if you have a heavily coated dog and live in a hot or humid climate and don't show your dog then clipping may be advisable purely from a comfort point of view for your dog.

WoodHaven

20th August 2007, 05:23 PM

We do a hygiene cut on all our leisure (the ones that live the life of leisure) cavaliers. I "once" razor burned a cavaliers bum :o

Jen

20th August 2007, 05:28 PM

Good for you! I bet it will get easier and faster each time you do it! :xfngr:
I'm currently shopping for a clipper, I'll have to check out what you got.

Cathryn

20th August 2007, 05:28 PM

I "once" razor burned a cavaliers bum :o

:rotfl: Sorry Sandy, that just tickled my awful sense of humour, I know you must have felt terrribly guilty about it at the time, but the picture that conjured up had me in stitches!!
I too do a hygiene trim on the leisure crew, indeed when I went to mate Crystal, the Dad's owners run a boarding kennel and grooming parlour and every one of their dogs was clipped off except for the one's they show, they looked so cool that I was seriously tempted to do the same to my lot. Has been a while since I clipped anything out though, last thing I clipped was a horse!! Must get some-one to give me a few lessons I think!!

Jen

20th August 2007, 05:30 PM

Hi!

No, not all Cavalliers need to be clipped, it is really a matter of personnal taste and how hot and humid a climate you llive in, it can aslo depend on the colour of your dog as the Black coat of the Tri's and B/T's can be much thicker and denser, tangle more easily and make your dog feel a lot hotter too.

I have stood in a show ring on a hot (British) Summer Day and watched B/T's and heavily marked Tri's actually steaming in the heat!! :yikes: So if you have a heavily coated dog and live in a hot or humid climate and don't show your dog then clipping may be advisable purely from a comfort point of view for your dog.

I so agree. Abbey's coat is very thick and she seems so uncomfortable in the hotter months that we trim her to a puppy cut and she's much happier! This is actually one of my concerns in wanting a black and tan--their coats seem even thicker than a tris.

Cathy Moon

21st August 2007, 12:21 AM

Good for you! I bet it will get easier and faster each time you do it! :xfngr:
I'm currently shopping for a clipper, I'll have to check out what you got.
The Wahl Switchblade is lightweight, has an ergonomic shape, and variable speed! These are the features that sold me, plus the high ratings!:thmbsup:

Cathy Moon

21st August 2007, 12:28 AM

I so agree. Abbey's coat is very thick and she seems so uncomfortable in the hotter months that we trim her to a puppy cut and she's much happier! This is actually one of my concerns in wanting a black and tan--their coats seem even thicker than a tris.
Chocolate's coat is so long and heavy that she is uncomfortable outside in the summer, and she looks overweight! When her coat is clipped, she is soooo much happier, too!

Not all black and tans have heavy coats, though!:)

merlinsmum

30th August 2007, 02:26 PM

Merlin's coat is quite fine and very easy to manage. He only gets matts when Oakley has been battering him. Oakley's coat is very dense and thick, he matts very easily - as soons as you have got one out another one appears:rolleyes: